London - Aoife O'Riordain takes her pick of some of the hotels with the best room views.
The Moose Hotel & Suites, Canada
The Moose Hotel & Suites is the first hotel to open in Canada's Banff National Park for nine years, set right on the edge of the resort town and gateway to the rugged wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.
The 174-room resort has one and two-bedroom suites, with a vibe that's “mountainside modern,”with lots of warm wood and playful artwork by one of Canada's top Aboriginal artists, Jason Carter.
After a day exploring, wind down in one of The Meadow Spa & Pool's two heated rooftop pools, where you can admire views dominated by the towering peaks of Mount Rundle and Mount Cascade.
A photo posted by Seungho Yang (@seungho8964) on Aug 12, 2016 at 2:05am PDT
The Moose Hotel & Suites, 345 Banff Avenue, Banff, Alberta, Canada (001 403 762 2638; moosehotelsandsuites. com). Doubles from CA$349 (about R14 000) per night, room only.
Shakti River House, India
Views don't come much more inspiring than those from Shakti Himalaya's four-bedroom villa, set high in the remote Indian Himalayan province of Ladakh on the banks of the Indus river. Rescued from ruin, the former village home has been transformed into a luxurious getaway, decorated in a tasteful take on the local Ladakhi style. But it's the far reaching vistas of the Stok Kangri mountain range and remote Buddhist monasteries that really wow.
A stay at the house can be included as part of one of Shakti's off the beaten track itineraries, taking in the unspoilt wilderness and remote villages of Ladakh and the Indus valley.
Shakti River House, Ranbirpur Village, Nr Stakna, Ladakh, India (00 44 203 151 5177; shaktihimalaya. com). Doubles from £640 per night, full board.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, Oman
The lunar-like landscape and plunging canyons of Oman's serene and sparsely populated Al Hajar Mountains is a mesmerising sight. It's also becoming a bit of a hotspot for luxurious mountain retreats.
Next up in October is the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, set 2 000 metres above sea level on the Saiq Plateau. With 82 rooms with views and 33 private villas - some with their own pools - guests will be able to strike out and explore this dramatic region dotted with hidden green valleys and ancient forts. There's also a spa, swimming pool, star-gazing platform and children's club.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, Oman (00 968 2521 8000; jabal-akhdar. anantara. com). Doubles from £370 per night, room only.
Dunton Town House, US
Set in a majestic, closed in valley in the Rocky Mountains, the former silver mining town of Telluride, Colorado oozes way out west charm, not to mention a star-studded line up during its annual film festival in September. Opening its doors next month, its latest place to stay is the third property from Christoph Henkel and Katrin Bellinger, owners of Dunton Hot Springs and Dunton River Camp, which both deliver on the much yearned for, lost-in-the wilderness experience. Small but perfectly formed with just four bedrooms and one suite, rather than harking back to the town's Victorian heritage, interiors here will have a considered Austrian/Tyrolean look and the walls will be hung with artwork chosen by Bellinger's welltrained eye.
Dunton Town House, Telluride, Colorado, US (001 970 882 4800; duntontownhouse. com). Doubles from $300, room-only.
El Lodge Ski & Spa, Spain
Spain's Sierra Nevada is a popular spot for local skiers, but its newest hotel is bound to put it on the map with other travellers. Opened last December, El Lodge Ski & Spa is an Alpine-style boutique bolthole constructed from Finnish wood with just 20 rooms. Interiors come courtesy of smart, London-based decorator, Andrew Martin, with a striking mix of cowhide, antler chandeliers and vintage ski posters. With lots of bespoke touches like boot warming and a fabulous terrace for après-ski drinks, the hotel is also just half an hour from the Unesco World Heritage-listed Alhambra in nearby Granada.
El Lodge Ski & Spa, Maribel 8, Sierra Nevada, Granada, Spain (00 34 958 480 600; slh. com/ellodge; bookings 0800 0482 314). Doubles from €300 per night, B& B.
The Independent